Jesse previously ran for U.S. Congress, but did not win. He was also an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention from Colorado.

Jesse is the former CEO of Healthy Blue at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. He has over 30 years of executive leadership experience in healthcare, including serving as the Chief Administrator for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ Office of Healthcare Purchasing. He's also worked as a health plan CEO in multiple markets, states, and regions.

Jesse has a bachelor's degree in Pre-Med and Psych from the University of Illinois-Chicago, and then went to Eastern Michigan University and Houston Christian University for graduate studies in business & accounting and psychology respectively. He also went to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke for graduate studies in economics. He is involved in a number of community service positions, such as being involved with the NC Child Board and the North Carolina Forward Party movement.